127: Stephen Hill - Exhortation: The Power of the Tongue, to Hurt and to Heal

Automatically transcribed. Accuracy is good but not perfect, and words are sometimes wrong. Trust the audio over the text.

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   Welcome to Good Christadelphian Talks. I'm Levi. And I'm Chris. And I'm Brian. Thank you for joining us this week. On this podcast, we select one talk a week to help us get the Bible in our daily news feed. We post a new episode at the start of each week, with a short intro beforehand to kind of set the stage for the talk you're about to listen to.

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   And now, let's talk more about this week's talk. This week's talk is by our brother Stephen Hill. It's an exhortation given at the Aberfoyle Park Ecclesia in Adelaide, Australia, actually, just last week, January 30th. Very powerful, very powerful exhortation. This really struck me, not knowing Brother Stephen at all or the Aberfoyle Park Ecclesia, as very emotive and impactful.

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   So, this talk was sent to me by a brother there in Australia, not a member of that Ecclesia specifically, but it had struck him. And you'll soon see why. Brother Stephen goes pretty hard and is pretty honest about some frustrations that he has had with that specific Ecclesia, with his Ecclesia that he's been a member of for a very long time.

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   And it's specifically about the harmful words that people can use around each other. And that's the title of the talk, is The Power of the Tongue to Heal and to Hurt. And I really felt this was a, like, at first it may be almost awkward how kind of disappointed he is in his Ecclesia, but I think it really could be any meeting.

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   It makes a very powerful object lesson. And I've been a member of many Ecclesiars that this, you know, that this talk could be about. So, it's a powerful lesson for all of us to be very careful with how we speak of each other, how we speak to each other, what we should be saying, what we shouldn't be saying, kind of what's encouraging and, you know, overall what our mindset would be.

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   And he ends the exhortation just recognizing how Jesus is our example. So, yeah, excited to share this. Again, this was a suggestion. I'm thankful for the brother who sent it. And we, all of us, really, really appreciate the suggestions that you send in. So, I'm glad to share this. So, here is Brother Stephen Hill, The Power of the Tongue to Heal and to Hurt.

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   Good morning, my dear brethren and sisters in our Lord Jesus Christ and our dear young people. Well, last year was a fantastic year. Well, it was for us.

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   We celebrated our 50th wedding anniversary. Our daughter, Joanne, passed five years free from cancer. And our two eldest grandsons were married despite the difficulties of the situation that we experience.

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   But I'm also well aware that last year was difficult. It was a remarkable year, wasn't it? We'd never experienced anything like it. As Brother Vit reminded us two weeks ago, we've been forced to change so many things in our daily life and also our ecclesial life. You may have heard that the Oxford University Press, which must be good because I was born in Oxford, so that's a good recommendation.

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    The Oxford University Press every year puts out a word of the year. Last year, they couldn't. There were too many words. There wasn't one word they could think of that summed up the year. So what did they call it? Well, they called it words of an unprecedented year. And it was an unprecedented year.

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    And they listed as several items, just a few that I'll mention, that competed but were unable to be separated as one being so much more important than the others. And that was the bushfires in Australia and also the USA, like we have never, ever seen before. The impeachment of Donald Trump. And of course, COVID-19.

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    But also the Black Lives Matter movement. And so on. All of these things just crowded out the possibility of having one word. We'll sum it up. But a few years ago, four years earlier, which they've done every year since 2004, they did pick one word or one phrase. The word for 2016 was post-truth, meaning we now live in an era where truth does not exist.

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    Well, it does exist, but it's extremely difficult to find. I'm not talking about the truth of the Bible. I'm talking about anything. We live in a world of fake news, of alternative facts, which is an oxymoron. It's an impossibility, but it's a term used by one of President Trump's aides. We are flooded with conspiracy theories, hoaxes and lies.

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    And the social media systems make a lot of this. And so even in the most basic things of life, it's actually quite difficult now to find out what really is true. And sadly, we are not immune from those things. How does that happen? How has it arrived at this point?

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    Well, in one sense, we ought not to be surprised because the world, and in particular the Christian world, is full of fake information. They believe we've got an immortal soul, that we go to heaven when we die, that the devil's a fallen angel, and so on. It's all fake news. It's all alternative facts.

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    It's all a conspiracy theory, in a sense. It's a hoax. It's a lie. Why? We're not to be too surprised that that problem now pervades the whole of our society. And why is it so? Well, simply because people do not take the time to look at whatever that issue might be and to reason through to find truth.

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    And of course, when it comes to us trying to preach, it's difficult because of that environment. So that's the world we live in now. It's not likely to go backwards to anything better either. We will have to live with this sort of challenge in life for the rest of our time, I believe.

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    Well, what impact is that having on us here? What is the impact on us? Not just today, not just in the last year, but in the years to come if we still have time. It's a very serious question, I think, about the kind of ecclesia we're going to have, be able to have, about the kind of families we have, how we rear our children.

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    I used to think that the main challenge for children being brought up today was electronic media. And of course, that is a challenge. But now we're faced with a much wider problem. And those of us who, in a sense, comfortably live in the past, like myself who retired, I can ignore most of what's going on in the world.

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    I can sit quietly and do my own thing. I'm not faced with it like so many of our younger members are. Not just on a daily basis, but constantly.

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    Our ecclesial syllabus this year has a list of 112 members in it. Well, it's now 108, we just heard announced this morning. But I went through and worked out, I think really it's only 75 that can actually be here and do anything. Because if you think about it, quite a lot of our well-loved members are not here.

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    Why? Well, because they may be very old and unwell and simply unable to come. They might attend the Beth Salem meeting or whatever. They're on our list. So we're really talking about an ecclesia of 75 realistically.

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    But if you run your eye down the hall cleaning list, there's only 59. There's only 59 of us able or willing to do something very menial that doesn't require preparation, doesn't require you to do a long Bible study, doesn't require much of you except an hour's effort once every few months. So we have an ecclesia of 59, do we?

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    We see the evidence of this in many ways. It's not just the last 12 months, but the last couple of years, two or three maybe.

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    Our average attendances are lower. We have a lot fewer Sunday school scholars. Only about half what we had two or three years ago. It's very difficult to get any of us to join committees.

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    We only have two pianists left. It's difficult to get brethren to do platform duties as we refer to them. And most sad, well, I'm joking here, most sad for me is that we don't get invited to someone's place for lunch today because there aren't enough of us who are willing to entertain each other.

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    Now, a few, only a few, have moved from our ecclesia to another one. Quite a few others are visiting other meetings rather than this one.

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    And of all of those, I don't know why. I know in a few cases why. And that's why I'm giving this exhortation. And I'm sorry that it has to commence with a fair bit of negativity as it's already perhaps becoming obvious to you. I know in some cases why people are not contributing.

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    It is because they have been on the end of extremely harsh criticism. I know of those who will not exhort, who will not read,

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    who will not contribute in many other ways because they have been so harshly criticised. And it's not fair to say, well, they should toughen up. You know, they should be able to take it. It's not criticism per se that's the problem. It's the way in which it's presented. A degree of negativity has pervaded our ecclesia.

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    And later last year, for the first time in 37 years as a member here, I felt uncomfortable coming to the meeting. This isn't just a matter of whether we've got enough people to perform the duties on the list of things in the ecclesial program. That's merely a symptom. It's not really the issue.

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    The issue is this. If you'd like to turn with me to Matthew 12. Matthew 12. And this is one of those occasions where Jesus gave quite a lengthy and detailed set of advices to his disciples and therefore to us. And I'd like to commence at verse 33. Either make the tree good and its fruit good or else make the tree bad and its fruit bad.

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    For a tree is known by its fruit. Brood of vipers, how can you being evil speak good things? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. A good man, out of the good treasure of his heart, brings forth good things. And an evil man, out of the evil treasure, brings forth evil things.

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    But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment. For by your words you will be justified and by your words you will be condemned. I can't really think of too many verses that are stronger than that.

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    And we know that the Apostle Paul in Romans 14 says that the way we've treated our brother is going to be the basis of our judgment. The Apostle John in his first letter in chapter 4 says that if we hate our brother we have no eternal life. There are so many scriptures that speak about this we'll just barely touch a few this morning.

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    I'd just like to read you some words by a brother who was also a doctor. Brother Lemuel Edwards in 1901. He was a lifelong friend of Brother Thomas and he wrote this when he was 83. It was a letter to Brother C.C. Walker who had become the editor of the Christadelphian on the death of Brother Roberts.

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    My dear Brother Walker it may or may not seem strange to you but in my experience much of which has been in the 19th century and some in the 20th the most difficult to handle the most insidious the most dangerous the most trying ordeals through which we have to pass are the personal offences which arise in the household of Christ.

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    He had witnessed and experienced three major divisions in the brotherhood but for him they were not the most difficult. The most difficult was the personal offences that arise in the household of Christ and I guess my experience is not like his but I can only concur. Let's come and look at some Proverbs.

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    I happen to have gone through the Proverbs some time ago now and added up how many verses in the Proverbs speak about the use of the tongue. It's over 180.

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    That's more than five per chapter. That's an extraordinary emphasis. I won't actually turn them all up but I'll read them and if you've got time to keep up with me in your Bible so be it. Proverbs 18 verse 19 picking up what I've just quoted and I think I've got the wrong verse beg your pardon I'll read it.

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    A brother offended is harder to win than a strong city. somebody might pick out where it was that I should have quoted from. Verse 19 sorry I've got the wrong page in my book it was the right verse. Just a moment.

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    18 verse 19 yes a brother offended is harder to win than a strong city and contentions are like the bars of a castle. so what brother Lemuel Edwards so long ago said is what the scriptures say.

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    In Proverbs 10 verse 11 it says the mouth of the righteous is a well of life. The word well is perhaps misleading it's more a description of a fountain or a spring bubbling out. The mouth of the righteous is a spring of life. So all of us who are in the category of those who are justified in Christ in other words righteous same word our words our mouth should be a spring of life to everyone who hears what we say.

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    In chapter 15 just a couple of pages back in verse 4 a wholesome tongue is a tree of life. That's an extraordinary statement. We know what the tree of life is all about. It contained the power of eternal life.

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    A wholesome tongue can transmit to the hearer eternal life. And now in our chapter that we have read in chapter 12 verse 17 in particular He who speaks truth declares righteousness but a false witness deceit. There is one who speaks like the piercings of a sword but the tongue of the wise promotes health.

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    So you see in those words both of those verses you have the opposites the contrasts. So our words have the power real power to harm or to heal. people and therefore how we think before we speak is absolutely crucial or if we don't think then our words may be so harsh that they're like a piercing of a sword.

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    and just quickly I'm going to cross reference that with Romans chapter 3. The apostle Paul quotes from the Psalms as well here in verses 13 and 14 and then we'll come back to Proverbs. Romans 3 verse 13 talking about all humanity back in verse 10 he says there is none righteous no not one then in verse 13 their throat is an open tomb with their tongues they have practiced deceit the poison of asps is under their lips whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness so that's the extreme negative side of the tongue very similar language to Proverbs here and this is the words of one commentator on those words in Proverbs using words recklessly is like thrusting a person through with a sword failing to engage the clutch of the mind before putting our mouths into gear can lead to embarrassment pain and worse for others whenever we have in mind to criticize or praise someone to reveal the truth to or about a person to give people our opinion or to tell them what to do we need to think carefully about the effect our words will have it is sheer recklessness not to do this words which give praise and comfort information and explanation and which are marked by honesty and tact can do great good !

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    the Lord himself spoke such healing words and his followers should do the same let's have another look at this chapter proverbs 12 verse 19 the truthful lips shall be established forever but a lying tongue is but for a moment so there are other verses in this chapter we could look at and many others in other chapters that's sufficient to I think make the point have you ever been verbally abused fortunately I haven't had that experience very many times I have a few and they have burned into my memory there's a scar left Jesus is such an extraordinary example of so many things isn't he one of them Peter mentions in his first letter that when he was reviled excuse me when he was reviled he said nothing and if you have experienced very harsh criticism verbal abuse it's very hard not to retaliate and it's very hard if you didn't say anything to not think it and not to go home and discuss it with somebody what a terrible person that is and boy would I like to have a piece of them oh I didn't say anything to them but you did in your heart and so it's a two edged sword we may quietly receive unjustified rebuke but did we think evil thoughts in retaliation or did we simply accept forgive and move on come with me to Ephesians 4 here's an excellent example I think of how much the apostle Paul appreciated the significance of this issue of how we use our tongue and just a couple of verses picking out as we go through this chapter Ephesians 4 verse 15 but

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    speaking the truth in love may grow up in all things into him who is the head Christ well you may say but what I criticized so and so for was true it was a true comment but that's not the issue the issue is it might be true but is it said in love and I've used this example a number of times to groups of young people in the past and I'll pick on someone that I know won't be offended so today I'll pick on my son Matthew and I'll say Matthew you're ugly and it might be true but it wouldn't no it's not but it wouldn't !

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    be said in love you don't say everything that's true in your head if it's not able to be said in love don't say it you've heard the old saying if you can't say anything nice don't say anything at all in this context that's absolutely right have a look at verse 25 therefore putting away lying let each of you speak truth with his neighbour for we are members of one another we're not talking about some distant person who's got no connection with us that we might say harsh things to we're talking about our own brother or sister we're talking about a son of God or daughter of God they have a master in heaven how dare we speak to one of his servants like that verse 29 let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth but what is good for necessary edification !

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    that it may impart grace to the hearers the word I want to pick out here is which I'll mention again in a moment is edification which simply means to build up harsh criticism doesn't build anybody up it destroys them it kills them with that sword that we have already referred to verse 31 let all bitterness wrath anger clamour and evil speaking be put away from you with all malice and just picking up this point of edification that I passed over come back to verse 12 and this is referring to God's gifts to his people for the equipping of the saints for the work of the ministry for the edifying of the body of Christ there it is again edify build up verse 16 from whom Christ the whole body joined and knit together by what every joint supplies according to the effective working by which every part does its share causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love and again we've already looked at verse 29 so clearly the apostle is stressing the importance of all of our words being constructive positive building up that is not to say that you can't say to me afterwards that some aspect of my exhortation you didn't understand or didn't find helpful or you can say something in a sense negative about my exhort and you may well do so after this but where's the and if you can do this it will be better next time where's the positive where's the I'm so grateful you made an attempt to do this job it's a hard job it is a hard job giving an

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    exhortation I have on many occasions thought of just giving it up it's very difficult to do but if you can encourage me and I need it I need it then I will perhaps persevere but if all you do is knock me down I won't do it again what is the ecclesia all about brethren and sisters what is it all about well there's many aspects but let me just pick out a few come with me to Matthew 24 when I make a slight apology here this exhortation will be a little bit longer than I would have liked it to be I hope you can bear with me Matthew 24 and some of his last words before his crucifixion Jesus gave a long speech as you know in this chapter particularly the Olivet prophecy but towards the end verse 44 therefore you also be ready for the son of man is coming at an hour you do not expect who then is a faithful and wise servant whom his master made ruler over his household to give them food in due season blessed is that servant whom his master when he comes will find so doing he's described us there as his household I don't know if you know what the Greek word there is it's therapia and that word comes into English as the word therapy and it's been rightly observed therefore what Jesus is saying is that the ecclesia is a hospital we come here with some ailments some injuries and we look for healing we come here to find therapy for our body and our mind we all need some therapy don't we I

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    vividly recall only a short time after my baptism coming to a meeting going home feeling worse than I had when I came that's burnt into my memory as well that's not the fault of an individual it's just what happened to me that ought never ever to be the case brethren and sisters this is the place where we come as vine defines it for medical service for healing in fact it's translated healing in revelation 22 the leaves of the trees for healing that's the same word the household is a place of healing we're well aware that it's a house of love this is a comment from a early Christian writer about the year 200 describing the believers at that time people who are they are they are they they are they they love one another for they themselves are animated by mutual hatred how they are ready even to die for one another for they themselves will sooner be put to death and so the believers were stood out like the proverbial sore thumb as people who loved each other people who would die for each other and did literally die for each other it reminds us of the words of Jesus in John 13 and John 15 particularly that the mark of a disciple of Christ is that he loves his brother that's the defining characteristic another aspect to the brotherhood to the ecclesia is the word encouragement Philippians 2 verse 1 to 3 so if there is any encouragement in Christ any comfort from love any participation in the spirit any affection and sympathy complete my joy by being of the same mind having

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    the same love being in full accord and of one mind do nothing from rivalry or conceit but in humility count others more significant than yourselves brother Roberts made this comment there is nothing to be done in the way of successful ecclesial organisation under present circumstances it would save much disappointment if men would not look for it that's astounding really he already at this stage had written the ecclesial guide and he's saying well there's not much we can do about the very imperfect system we have as an ecclesia but what he did then say was this but simply look around for opportunities of doing good doing all the good they can individually and it's apparent that many of us are not doing that as I mentioned earlier when you look at our numbers we simply need to look around for opportunities of doing all the good they can individually making thus the best of the materials and the circumstances but carefully restraining the tongue concerning the evil doings of others we may at least save ourselves from this untoward generation his point is very strong and very clear if you have the feeling that you don't get much out of this meeting or other meetings what did you give what did you give to this meeting what did you give to the brother or sister sitting near you what did you give to those who served this morning what please brethren sisters please can we encourage one another can you encourage me can you bring here a healing spirit what a feeling of deep love for every single one of us to want to help each

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    other to want to thank everybody who's done anything how often do you ask how can I help do you think about others and say I think they might need something and I'll see if I can do that don't wait to be asked brethren and sisters do you know everyone in this room by name do you ever invite anyone to your home that you don't already know very very well I'm just going to pause a moment and offer a prayer Father in heaven we are so honoured to be a part of your family to be called your children but Father we know that as in so many examples in the scriptures families are not always harmonious and we are so sorry when we have fallen short of your expectations of us and we do pray that with your help we will focus on others needs more than our own and we earnestly pray for your son our lord and brother to come to make us all one for eternity amen in luke 4 verse 22 it is said of our lord that everyone marvelled at the gracious words which proceeded out of his mouth many years ago brother len richardson wrote this a bruised reed shall he not break and a smoking flax he shall not quench quoting Isaiah 42 verse 3 Jesus reserved the stern treatment for those who thought they were completely right and whose attitude to others was haughty and contemptuous toward the fallen the weak tax collectors prostitutes he was always encouraging and gentle he preferred to boil in the oil of tenderness to give revival and make the flame burn brighter

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    Jesus said this is my commandment that you love one another as I have loved you greater love has no one than this than to lay down one's life for his friends the apostle John got that and in his first letter he says by this we know love because he laid down his life for us and we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren we're about to partake of the bread and wine vividly reminding us that he did lay down his life for us but why do we partake of it simply because when we partake of the bread and wine we are saying that what motivated him now motivates us so that we truly will lay down our lives for the brethren thank you for listening to the good christadelphian talks podcast we hope this talk helped you in your walk if you would like to hear more please subscribe for new episodes and leave a review in apple podcast or whichever service you are using to help more people find the show when they search for it if you enjoyed this particular talk please share it with someone who you think might enjoy it as well for show notes on the talk you just

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    or instagram pages where we are at good christadelphian talks on twitter where we are at gct underscore podcast or leave a comment on our youtube channel where these talks are posted as well if you know of a great talk we want to know about it too send a suggestion to our email at good christadelphian talks at gmail.com or message us on any of our social media accounts thank you for listening god bless and talk to you next week